Pair enter pleas to felony meth lab counts

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

Two people indicted on charged related to a local meth lab were among 13 people arraigned Wednesday before Judge Martin D. Burchfield in Van Wert County Common Pleas Court.

Abby Thatcher, 25, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to one count each of complicity in the illegal manufacture of drugs, a felony of the first degree; illegal assembly of drugs, a second-degree felony; and child endangering, a felony of the third degree. She faces a possible total of 22 years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000 if convicted of the offenses.

Ronald Smith, 26, also of Van Wert, was charged with illegal manufacture of drugs, a first-degree felony, and illegal assembly of drugs, a felony of the second degree. He faces a possibility of 19 years in prison.

Both Thatcher and Smith were ordered held on $100,000 cash/surety bonds and will appear for pretrial conferences at 8 a.m. Friday, January 27.

The two were charged in connection with a meth lab discovered by city police at the Van Wert West Apartments in early January following a traffic stop at the intersection of Shannon and George streets early on the morning of January 4. Police found methamphetamine in the stopped vehicle, as well as items related to the manufacture of meth. A search warrant was then obtained for an apartment at the Van Wert West Apartments where those involved were living. A meth lab was discovered at the apartment and personnel from the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation were called in to process the dangerous chemicals found in the apartment.

Others arraigned are as follows:

Robert Taylor, 53, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to one count of aggravated trafficking in drugs, a felony of the second degree. The charge includes a specification that he used $1,343 in cash in commission of the offense. He was released on an unsecured personal surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. Wednesday, February 15.

Jessica Leppard, 28, of Van Wert, entered a not guilty plea to one count each of aggravated trafficking in drugs, a third-degree felony, and possession of cocaine, a felony of the fifth degree. She was released on a surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. January 27.

Spencer Kouts, 25, of Celina, pleaded not guilty to a charge of having a weapon while under a disability, a felony of the third degree. The charge could net him 36 months in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. Kouts was released on a surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. Wednesday, January 25.

Aron Lange, 25, of Celina, entered not guilty pleas to one count each of receiving stolen property and forgery, both felonies of the fifth degree. He was released on a surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. Wednesday, February 1.

Jared Smith, 28, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to one count of aggravated possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony. He was released on a surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. February 1.

Daniel Morgan, 28, of Van Wert, entered a not guilty plea to one count of possession of cocaine, a felony of the fifth degree. He was released on a surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. January 25.

Stefan Dirham, 24, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to a six-count indictment, which includes two counts of misdemeanor theft, and two counts of receiving stolen property and two counts of forgery, all felonies of the fifth degree. Dirham was released on a surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. January 27.

Alexandra Whisman, 23, of Van Wert, entered not guilty pleas to one count each of possession of heroin and aggravated possession of drugs, both fifth-degree felony offenses. She was released on a surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. February 1.

Allyson Brown, 24, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to one count each of theft, a misdemeanor of the first degree, and complicity to forgery, a fifth-degree felony. She was released on a surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. February 1.

Kyle Goodwin, 27, of Van Wert, entered not guilty pleas to two counts of theft, and one count of forgery, all felonies of the fifth degree. He was released on a surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. February 15.

Tiffany Shuler, 30, of Van Wert, pleaded not guilty to three counts of trafficking in cocaine and one count of possession of cocaine, all fifth-degree felony offenses. She was released on a surety bond and will appear for a pretrial conference at 8 a.m. February 1.

Also appearing in court on Wednesday were the following:

Ashley Burk, 28, of Van Wert, admitted to violating her probation by having a positive drug test, failing to report to probation, and associating with a known felon. She was resentenced to five years of community control, including up to six months in the Western Ohio Regional Treatment and Habilitation (WORTH) Center in Lima. She will remain in jail until admitted to the WORTH Center.

Kitti Johnson, 29, of Convoy, admitted to violating her probation by having a positive drug test. She was also resentenced to five years of community control, including up to six months in the WORTH Center. She was released on a surety bond until being admitted to the WORTH Center.

Van Wert County Probate-Juvenile Court Judge Kevin Taylor also heard two cases on Wednesday.

Ruth Ann Napier-Caldwell, 24, of Van Wert, was granted early release from prison following a hearing on Wednesday. She was placed on community control and ordered to undergo an assessment for drug court.

Emily Bollenbacher, 25, of Van Wert, admitted to violating her probation by injecting another with illegal drugs and associating with a known felon. She was resentenced to three years of community control, including up to six months in the WORTH Center.

Judge Taylor released her on a surety bond, with daily reporting and drug testing, until she is ordered to report to the WORTH Center.